Hello My Friend
by madladypoet
Summary: This story is a continuation of my other 24 story "Good-Bye Jack." It takes place a few days after Jack leaves New Hampshire. In DC, he is reunited with an old flame.


Jack steered his car into the valet section in front of the Watergate hotel. The valet came running out to Jack's car and Jack handed him the keys. Jack got out of the car and walked into the hotel lobby. It's ironic, he thought, that he would be called down to Washington to testify before the Senate about the California events and the federal marshal's would put him up in the infamous hotel. Maybe, he thought to himself sarcastically, that he could go on C-Span and say "I am not a crook."

These days, it was important to have a sense of humor.

Jack had gone over his testimony with the federal marshal's and had been granted immunity by the Attorney General's office, yet he had been warned by Bill Buchanan that the Senate hearings were going to be difficult. Jack, warned Bill, the Palmer administration is going to make you the bad guy in all this. Of course, thought Jack grimly, he did not expect anything else.

After checking in, Jack walked over to the hotel bar. He ordered his favorite drink and sat down next to the window. Gently stirring his drink, Jack stared at the tablecloth and thought back to his decision to leave New Hampshire without seeing his daughter and grandson. He closed his eyes and imagined holding them in his arms and shaking hands with Kim's husband. Opening his eyes, he reminded himself that he did the right thing. Kim and her baby were better off without him. Jack took a gulp of his drink and set it down on the table. Checking his watch, he saw that it was 8:00 p.m.. He should go up to his room soon and get some sleep. He needed to be at the federal courthouse by 6:00 a.m. and sleeping was not something that came easily to him these days. Throwing his tip on the table, Jack stood up when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Hello, my friend, hello." sang a female voice that was hauntingly familiar.

Slowly turning, Jack felt his jaw slack open. It was Kate Werner. He had not seen her in years. Seeing Jack's shock, Kate grinned.

"I guess you forgot my favorite. . ." Kate began.

"Neil Diamond song." finished Jack. "No," he said beginning to grin himself. "There is no way I could forget your love of the cheesiest song ever made."

"Hey," exclaimed Kate playfully punching him. "To us Neil Diamond fans, that is the greatest song ever made."

After an awkward moment, Kate leaned over and kissed Jack on the cheek. The feel of her skin and the softness of her lips nearly brought Jack to his knees. He could not remember the last time he had slept with a woman, and his physical reaction to Kate surprised him. He had thought that prison had killed off any emotion he had; he was surprised and thrilled to learn that he was wrong. Kate's voice brought him out of his reverie.

"Jack, do you have time to chat?" asked Kate.

"Sure," said Jack, indicating the seat at his table, "I would love to talk."

Sitting across from each other, Jack and Kate did not seem to know where to begin. Kate, as she usually did, took the initiative and plunged right in.

"I've seen you on the news Jack." said Kate, "and I want you to know that I am proud of what you've done."

Jack actually felt himself get embarrassed. "Well Kate, you're the only one."

Kate smiled at Jack. "Same old Jack! You were never good at taking compliments."

Jack managed a smile back, but suddenly felt uncomfortable. Kate was another part of his past that was painful to him. Although Kate had managed to survive Jack unscathed, he knew that he had hurt her by pulling away. Kate had tried to help Jack get over the loss of Teri and the near loss of Kim, but in the end, the job and his fear of hurting her pulled him away. Still, Kate did not seem to bear him any grudges. She looked radiant and was smiling at him as if she was truly glad to see him. Jack decided to act normally and attempt a conversation.

"So how's your life?" asked Jack.

Kate's smile grew wider. "It's fantastic." "I got married and have a beautiful son." "I started my own company and moved here to Washington." She paused to look around the bar. "I'm here waiting to have a drink with my husband."

"How's your dad?" asked Jack. "What about your sister?"

"Dad's great." replied Kate. "He got remarried and moved to the Bahamas." "My sister" Kate began and for the first time, she looked pained "is still in prison." Kate looked out the window that had captured Jack's attention. "I'm still ashamed of how I acted toward Reza." She shook her head. "He deserved better."

Jack put his arms on the table and faced Kate. "Look Kate, you didn't know." "You couldn't have known."

"No Jack," said Kate vigorously shaking her head, "I should have known." "She was my sister after all."

"Sometimes," Jack began. "The people we love the most are the biggest mysteries to us."

"Ahh," said Kate with a grin. "Is that why I could never get that close to you?"

For a moment Jack was startled. He didn't expect Kate to get so personal. Kate was still grinning at him, waiting for a response. Feeling that owed her something, Jack began with "Umm, Kate, look, I. . ."

Kate merely waved away Jack's embarrassment. "I know." "It was the job, your fear of hurting me, your feelings for Teri and Kim." "I already knew those things." "Still, it didn't stop me from wanting to get close to you."

Jack suddenly felt throat go raw. While he had never been in love with Kate as he had with Audrey and Teri, the fact that this wonderful, kind woman saw him for what he was and still cared for him was somehow the miracle he had been looking for. Jack stared into Kate's eyes wanting to understand why he had been handed this wonder. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Kate smiled at him and took his hand.

"Just remember, no matter what, you're a good man."

Before Jack could respond, a male voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Kate?" said the man, sounding a tiny bit jealous. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Simon," Kate introduced teasingly, "this is my old friend Jack." "I happened to run into him at the bar and we were catching up."

Jack stood up and shook hands with a handsome dark-haired man. The man was eyeing him suspiciously much to Kate's amusement. Jack laughed inwardly suddenly remembering the days that he was the jealous husband/boyfriend. Christ, he thought, that was a lifetime ago. Looking at Kate, whose husband was helping her put on her coat, Jack wondered if he would ever feel that way again. Jack truly envied Kate in her happiness and was suddenly glad that he ended their relationship. Kate had found someone who really loved her.

"Well," said Kate, "it was really good to see you again."

Jack smiled feeling the same way. "You too."

Leaning over to kiss him on the cheek again, Kate whispered something in his ear that shocked him. The shock must have registered on his face because Simon looked amused.

"She's full of surprises, isn't she?" said Simon.

Shaking his hand, Jack could only nod in agreement. He watched Kate and her husband walk away and decided to leave the bar himself, hoping that he would not run into anyone. Going straight up to his room, Jack sat on the edge of the bed replaying Kate's words in his head. Suddenly Jack stood up and walked over to his bag. Yanking it open, he retrieved his wallet and pulled out Kim's baby picture and his cell phone. Flipping it over, Jack found Kim's phone number on the back. Taking a deep breath, Jack dialed the number and waited. Kim picked up on the second ring and for a moment, Jack froze. This was a mistake. Kate was wrong. Before he could hang up, Jack received his second shock of the evening.

"Dad?" asked Kim. "Is that you?"

"Sweetheart," said Jack barely able to contain himself. "How did you know it was me?"

"I've seen you on the news and figured that you would call" replied Kim.

For a moment, an awkward silence hung in the air. Jack began to panic, wishing he had left well enough alone when Kim surprised him.

"Dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" responded Jack.

"I'm glad that you called" said Kim.

Jack allowed himself to exhale, and for the next forty-five minutes, he and his daughter talked for the first time in years. At the end of the conversation, Kim invited Jack up to New Hampshire to meet her husband and his grandson. Hanging up the phone, Jack felt at peace for the first time in years. He walked over to the window and looked out at the city. Wherever you are, he thought, thank you Kate Werner. Replaying her words in his head, Jack smiled. Kate was right. It was never too late.


End file.
